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The first-ever Under-21 Men's International Softball Championships is coming to Saskatoon next month.
Provincial teams from across Canada, as well as an Argentine national team and the New Zealand International Softball Academy are all coming to town July 9 to 14.
"We're going to feature some of the top under-21 softball players in the world," tournament vice-chair Mark Loehndorf said at a press conference on Wednesday.
Fifteen members of Canada's 2012 under-19 world championship squad will appear for their various provincial teams. The Argentine roster features four under-19 world-championship-winning players, including top-rated pitcher Huemul Mata Carabajal.
"I've been all across the country to nationals (and) westerns, and this is probably the biggest tournament I've ever been a part of," Team Saskatchewan pitcher Alex Fehr said.
Landing a tournament of this calibre is a boon to the Saskatoon softball community, which boasts 50 to 55 men's and women's teams at the top level of competition year after year.
"We're using this event, this international event, to showcase the best program," tournament chair and longtime Saskatoon Amateur Softball Association president Bryan Kosteroski said. "Saskatchewan is a (softball) hotbed. So naturally we're going to bring an international event to Saskatchewan."
The selection process for Team Saskatchewan started a year ago. It featured a 25-player roster that practised at the soccer centre throughout the winter. The team was trimmed to 15 players in May, and includes seven Saskatoon Poly Plus Junior Diamondbacks and four Saskatoon Junior Bullets from the SASA. Prince Albert's Aiden Patrick pitched for the under-19 national team.
"I think our team's going to be very exciting to watch - very fast, a lot of power, great pitching, but our speed is going to be (outstanding)," Saskatchewan assistant coach Brooks Penrod said.
Team New Zealand will arrive early for the tournament, and has exhibition games booked in Del-isle versus the Senior Diamond Dogs, in Prince Albert against Team Saskatchewan and in War-man against the hometown Gems from July 2-4.
The main tournament will be at Bob Van Impe Stadium and Gordie Howe Park.
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